


The Belt Buckle

by Sharing_a_room_with_an_open_fire



Series: Stories 1001 - 2000 words [5]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell, Simon Snow & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Autistic Simon Snow, Awkward Conversations, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Simon Snow, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluffy Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow, Getting Together, Gift Fic, Happy, Holding Hands, Human Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch, Humor, Lucy Salisbury Lives, M/M, Mentioned Gareth, Mentioned Niall and Dev, Mentioned Ruth Salisbury, Nervous Simon Snow, POV First Person, POV Simon Snow, Penelope Bunce is a Good Friend, Pining Simon Snow, SnowBaz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:22:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28453068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharing_a_room_with_an_open_fire/pseuds/Sharing_a_room_with_an_open_fire
Summary: “He thinks I'm his boyfriend,” I confirm with a loud sigh.“What do you mean he thinks you're his boyfriend?” Penny asks, still confused. “I thought the date had gone rather horribly.”“Oh, it has,” I shudder at the thought.The thing is that I've been hung up on a guy from my math class for a while, as in a whole year.He's brilliant, fit and he plays the violin. (I can almost feel his faint scent — something citrusy — just from thinking about him.)When I came back to uni this autumn and my feelings for him haven't changed, I did the only reasonable thing. I tried dating.A University SnowBaz AU featuring Autistic Simon Snow.
Relationships: Dev & Niall & Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch, Fiona Pitch & Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch, Lucy Salisbury & Simon Snow, Penelope Bunce & Simon Snow, Ruth Salisbury & Simon Snow, Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch & Simon Snow, Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow
Series: Stories 1001 - 2000 words [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2100996
Comments: 16
Kudos: 122





	The Belt Buckle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Theawkwardbibliophile](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theawkwardbibliophile/gifts).



> Dear reader, I hope you will enjoy this fluffy ficlet. 💙  
>   
> Simon has autism in this story.  
>   
> This isn't a way to portrait all people on the spectrum. We are all different. I'm writing from my own personal experiences of _myself_.  
>   
>  **Jan** , I honestly do not know how I ended up writing another autistic Simon fic for you. But here we are. It's fluffy and sweet. I hope you will like it. 🥺🥺🥺💙💙💙  
>   
> As always so much love and thanks to Blue [mybluebucketofsnow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mybluebucketofsnow/pseuds/mybluebucketofsnow) for beta and support. 💙  
>   
> This fic is inspired by a triple prompt **8\. college!au + 6. fake dating + 8. “wait, wait. say that again. please.”** from [this list](https://gukyi.tumblr.com/post/179232367608/au-trope-prompt-game).
> 
> * * *

# SIMON

“Wait, wait,” Penny yelps. “Say that again, please.”

We’re standing in line for coffee. A never ending line.

Uni is killing me with their lack of volunteers at the café. I know they don’t get paid since it's a non-profit to keep the prices as low as possible for the students, but still.

Truthfully if I had better social skills, I’d volunteer myself during my free periods. But I am rather awkward when it comes to people I don’t know.

“He thinks I'm his boyfriend,” I confirm with a loud sigh.

“What do you mean he thinks you're his boyfriend?” Penny asks, still confused. “I thought the date had gone rather horribly.”

“Oh, it has,” I shudder at the thought.

The thing is that I've been hung up on a guy from my math class for a while, as in a whole year.

He's brilliant, fit and he plays the violin. (I can almost feel his faint scent — something citrusy — just from thinking about him.)

When I came back to uni this autumn and my feelings for him haven't changed, I did the only reasonable thing. I tried _dating_.

Gareth was well… For starters, he wears a gaudy belt buckle. But I thought maybe he watched tons of Westerns as a child.

Mum and I watched Princess Diary a lot and it has left certain traits on my personality, not gonna lie.

But it's more than that. We have nothing in common, Gareth and I. He studies geography and enjoys travelling. That is the worst activity in the world.

I only ever travel to visit Nan in the South. And that’s with a car. I won’t step on a train or a plane unless I have to.

Gareth didn’t understand that and said I was weird.

I know he didn’t mean anything bad by that. And I know I _am_ weird. Regardless, I don’t appreciate people saying that about me.

Furthermore, my heart doesn't beat faster when he's near. Not unless out of fear counts, as I try to escape him and his belt buckle he enjoys swaying so much.

Needless to say, our date was not a hit. Or so I thought. I don’t know why he won’t leave me alone.

Which is odd since I was upfront that I wasn’t interested, I think. I followed all the protocols.

I’ve seen how in the movies people would act after a disaster date — polite and cheerful, they’d thank for the date and tell what a great time they’ve had but nothing more.

“I need a fake boyfriend,” I complain. “Or maybe I should transfer uni.”

Mum would be furious if I transferred. We moved closer so I could spend my weekends at home. (I don’t do well in the dorms with all that noise from Friday night partying going on.)

I take a deep breath. The citrusy scent I imagined earlier is more prominent now. I should stop thinking about that bloke. Why is my brain doing this to me?

“I can help you.” I suddenly hear a familiar voice behind me and turn around. “To be your fake boyfriend, that is.”

It's him — Baz Grimm-Pitch.

“So it was you I smelled after all,” I say in a way of greeting and want to die on the spot.

Oh, bloody hell. I _am_ too weird. I should stop speaking to people altogether.

I can’t stop staring at him though.

Baz is so beautiful up close. Wearing a pair of snug black jeans, a loose dark green sweater that compliments his features perfectly. His silky black hair is tied up.

I often daydream about how he would feel to the touch, his hair and his skin.

He's gorgeous, like a god. Penny thinks I'm exaggerating and think purely with my heart because according to her Baz is nothing special in the least.

I don't care what she says. Baz is everything one could dream about in a boyfriend.

He studies math, just like I do _and_ he loves it, just like I do.

He's amazing and he is currently looking at me with an odd expression.

“I beg your pardon?” His voice is smooth and lovely.

Before I get to answer, not entirely sure what exactly, Penny clears her throat.

“I need to use the loo,” she says and disappears before I can stop her.

 _Traitor_ , I think. She knows I fancy Baz. She should have stayed for moral support.

No doubt he’s not being serious with his earlier offer.

“Why would you want to be my fake boyfriend?” I ask in disbelief, instead of answering his question; wondering if this is a plot to a cruel joke. “Besides, you have a girlfriend.”

 _Unfortunately_ , I think but don’t add.

They've been dating for a while. At the very least since last year.

“What are you talking about Salisbury? I can assure you that I don't have a girlfriend,” he sneers at me and his face is so pretty even with a sneer.

I do my best not to get affected by his beauty.

“Oh come off it, mate,” I try sneering back, but I am not as skilled as Baz.

He is pulling some kind of practical joke on me. I am sure of it now. But I am too worked up to back down from this conversation.

“I heard you talking to her on your mobile almost every lunch. Must be serious if you can't even be without each other for half a day,” I tell him and add so he'll know I know. “Her name’s Fiona.”

“How could you have heard us talking? I eat my lunch behind the stadium.”

His question startles me because I don’t actually want to admit how I could hear him talk. But I am not really great under pressure.

“I well, I overheard by accident because I was walking by... also by accident,” I mumble, trying to get out of this with some dignity but that ship has already sailed.

I swallow and feel the heat going to my cheeks. No doubt I look like a stoplight turned completely red now.

He raises his eyebrow at me and I don't think he believes me at all. He shouldn’t. I am lying through my teeth.

Truthfully I am not angry about him pretending not to have a girlfriend or pulling whatever joke he is doing. I am too mortified about embarrassing myself in front of the bloke I am very much into.

“Well for your information, Fiona is my aunt,” he speaks without a sneer or a smirk. If anything there is a faint smile on his lips. “She works abroad and that is the only time we can chat with the time zone differences.”

Oh.

 _Oh_.

Was this then not an elaborate joke for him to laugh about with his mates? Baz is very popular for a math student. He has _two_ friends — Niall and Dev.

Dev is his cousin though. But Mum says that counts as a real friend too.

Penny is my best and only friend and practically a cousin. (Our mums were inseparable since the primary.)

I look at Baz. He hasn’t left despite me clearly putting a foot in my mouth. (That's an expression my nan taught me.)

Mum always says not everyone will be discouraged by my lack of social skills. I guess she might be right after all.

I have to try and flirt maybe? How do people do that exactly?

First thing first, I do my best to look him in the eyes.

I am not exactly good at that. But his eyes aren’t that frightening. They are beautiful like the sea where Nan lives.

A perfect mixture of blue and green that creates the most mesmerizing grey. (That happens to be my favourite colour.)

“So you're single then?” I blurt out without thinking, getting confused and lost in his eyes.

There goes my attempt at acting like a functional member of society.

I want to roll my eyes at myself.

_You are a bloody moron, Simon Salisbury._

“I am,” he answers and doesn't sneer at me or rolls his eyes for that matter.

Baz seems to have patience in abundance when it comes to awkward classmates. (Or one at the very least.)

That's a good sign. Still, I'm not getting my hopes high.

Not like he’d say yes after I admitted to follow him after class every day like a crazy stalker. But Mum says that I should believe in myself more.

It's worth a try. I've already humiliated myself plenty. What's one more thing to add to the list?

“Baz— Would you— I mean— if you are not too busy,” I stammer and am definitely making a fool of myself.

Can't be helped I suppose. I take a deep breath, trying to get the words out.

“I mean... You did offer to take me on a fake date... Maybe you'd go on a real one instead... with me?”

There, I got it out.

“Alright, Simon,” he answers, looking into my eyes, both demanding and unsure. “No more Gareths though.”

“No more Gareths. I'm only dating you _exclusively_.”

That's what people call it, I think. (Or maybe Mum told me.)

I'm overjoyed that Baz agreed to go out with me that I forget for a while the implication of his words. Then it finally hits me.

“ _Wait_!” I almost yell, and someone shushes me, behind my back.

I don’t turn around to see who it was but I do lower my voice.

“How do you know his name?” I ask because I haven't mentioned it today. (Didn't want to summon him like a demon, who takes one's soul away.)

“Oh well. I suppose I’ve overheard it... by accident,” he mumbles and his coppery cheeks catch fire.

I try not to smile too wide, but can't help myself and start grinning like an idiot.

Baz likes me.

“Can I hold your hand now that we're dating?” I ask and reach for his hand.

Maybe I should have waited for his answer first.

“You may,” he says, still blushing and takes my hand.

His skin is just as nice to the touch as I thought it would be, but has some calluses. Must be the violin he plays.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. 💙


End file.
